Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz.- The Arizona baseball team snapped its two game losing streak in a big way Friday afternoon defeating Brigham Young 15-7 at Frank Sancet Field in Tucson. The victory raises Arizona's record to 4-2 on the season and drops BYU to 1-1. The Wildcats rapped out as season-high 22 hits, including seven for extra bases.
Freshman Brian Anderson and junior Justyn St. Clair each had four hits and scored three runs for the Cats while junior Shelley Duncan broke out for three hits and five RBI, three of which came on his second home run of the season, a 410 foot blast to left-center in the seventh inning.
The Wildcats scored early and often putting up four runs in the third and fourth innings, a single run in the fifth and six more in seventh. Every Wildcat starter collected at least one hit on the afternoon.
The Cats jumped out to the early third inning lead on a two run double by Ernie Durazo, an RBI double by Duncan and single by St. Clair that scored sophomore Ken Riley, junior Brad Hassey, Duncan and St. Clair.
Anderson got things started in the fourth with a double down the rightfield line, his first collegiate hit, and came around to score on Hassey's single to left. St. Clair followed with a single to right, advancing Hassey to third. Sophomore Matt Abram and Duncan each drove in runs with consecutive singles and after a pitching change senior Ernie Durazo drove in his first of three for the game with double to left center.
After BYU put three runs on the board in the top of the fifth, the Wildcats would turn to Anderson to again be catalyst for the offense. The first-year outfielder responded, smacking a one-out single to center. Sophomore Ken Riley was hit a by a pitch to put runners on first and second. The pair pulled off a double steal of second and third and were joined on-base by Hassey after BYU was called for catcher's interference. St Clair brought Anderson home with a fielder's choice ground ball to make the score 9-3.
The Cougars would pair runs in the top of the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to make the score 9-7, but would see any chance of a come-from-behind victory fade away with a Wildcat six-run seventh. The inning would feature seven Wildcat hits highlighted by Duncan's towering three run blast, Erik Torres and Anderson doubles and a triple by Kenny Huff. UA batted around for the second time on the afternoon, after doing so in the third inning as well.
Freshman Anthony Sulser (1-0) picked up his first career victory on the mound with an inning in relief of starter Marc Kaiser who went 4.2 innings on the day.
BYU and Arizona will meet for the rubber game of the three game series at 2 p.m. The Wildcats will host a pre-game ceremony to retire teammate Kelsey Osburn's jersey.
